Top News Stories: #2 Whitney Houston

Singer and actress Whitney Houston was found dead in a Beverly Hills, Calif., hotel. Houston had overcome a public battle with drug addiction and was returning to the big screen with "Sparkle." (Mel Evans/AP Photo)

Tragically, the singer had just talked about overcoming her much-publicized struggle with drugs and alcohol. The movie in which she made her big-screen comeback, "Sparkle," was released after her death. Her funeral was attended by celebrities and dignitaries and broadcast to millions around the world.

News of Houston's death quickly spread through social media sites. Mediabistro noted the following: "On Twitter, hashtags related to Houston and her name itself dominated the trending topics. YouTube's News channel featured her videos. Fan pages were created on Facebook."